"One hundred and twenty-five years after our nation’s highest court upheld segregation, the first Black woman has been nominated to the Supreme Court. I congratulate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on her historic nomination, one which I hope will send a powerful message to young Black women across the nation, like my daughters, about what they can do, and what still has to be done. I also hope that as we continue to progress, we can go from groundbreaking ‘firsts’ to seconds, thirds, and new paradigms.
"In addition to the historic nature of her nomination, Judge Jackson is ideally suited for this moment and for the challenges facing our country and the court. On civil rights and racial justice; on protecting reproductive freedoms and workers rights; on combating gun violence and threats to our democracy; and so much more, the Supreme Court will be vital. It is critical that even with the realities of a conservative majority, we have jurists like Judge Jackson guiding the court and helping us to move forward with the gains we have made across decades, not recede from them.
"Judge Jackson’s legal background also sets her apart and makes her a crucial voice – as a former federal public defender – the first in the court’s history – she understands and involves herself in the fight for the marginalized. She understands the justice system in its many structural injustices, and has worked unremittingly to improve it. I urge the Senate to move quickly to confirm her appointment, and look ahead to seeing her take her place on the Court and in our history."